Loader



E. P. CCRBIN Feb. 15,1944:

LOADER Filed NOV. 25, 1939 s Sheet s-Sheet 1 f/v VE/YTOR EBER F?Goren-am,

ATT'Y E. P. CORBIN Feb. 15, 1944.-

LOADER Filed NOV. 25, 19-39.-

s Sheets-Sheet 2 [NVEN TOR f EBER P Coream;

ATT'Y.

Feb. 15-, 1944 E. P. CORBTIN LOADE R File d Nov. 25. 1939 5.Sheets-Sheet 3 f/YVENTOEI EBER' P. CORBIN,

Patented Feb. 15, 1944 UNITED; STATES LOADER Eber P. Corbin, Columbus,Ohio, assignor to The .Jeflrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation ofOhio Application November 25, I939,-Serial No. 306,082

4 Claims.

This invention relates particularly to a gathering head and a gatheringconveyer for a mechanical loader including a novel gathering fiight.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a loader having anovel and improved type of gathering head and gathering conveyor orconveyors which will deliver material to a discharge conveyor in a veryefiicient manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved gatheringflight structure.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novelfeatures and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a loader incorporating the features ofmy invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the head end of said loader;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of said head end;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 46 of Fig. 2looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 5-5 of Fig. 3 looking inthe direction of the arrows; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are elevational and plan views, respectively, of animproved flight of my invention.

The machine of my invention comprises a main frame 29 which is formed oftwo sections comprising a front or receiving section 2| and a rear ordischarge section 22, which sections are mounted for relativepivotalmovement about an upright axis; that is, the rear or discharge section22 can be swung in a horizontal plane to various positions with respectto the front or receiving section 2! so that it maybe maintained at alltimes in proper discharging position with respect to a receivingconveyor or other receptacle as the front of the machine is adjustedalong the face of a mine room to gather coal.

The tWo sections 2! and 22 cooperate to provide a continuous troughhaving a bottom 24 and through which material is conveyed by means of anendless conveyor chain 34 of the universal type which is provided withspaced flights 35 which, with the chain 34, convey material from thehead end of the loader and discharge it over the rear end thereof.

It may be pointed out that much of the structure of this loader is theinvention of Edwin B. Gellatly and is disclosed in full detail andclaimed in his application for aLoader, Serial No. 306,083, filed Nov.25, 1939.

The principal support of the main frame 20 is provided by a truckprovided on opposite sides with wheels, one of which is seen at 45,which wheels are preferably provided with solid rubber tires, thoseassociated with wheel 45 being seen at 49.

Suspended from the rear end of the main frame 28 is an electric motor Mwhich drives the chain 34 through an appropriate drive, including asprocket meshing therewith.

It may be pointed out that the frame 20 is pivoted to swing about ahorizontal axis'whioh'is provided by a shaft upon which the wheels,-such as wheel 45, are appropriately journaled and the weightdistribution is such that the head end of the loader overweighs thedischarge end and consequently tends to rest upon the mine floor.

Attention is now directed particularly to Figs. 1 to'5, and to thestructure of the gathering head 32. The gathering head 32 is formed by apair of spaced upright plates 54, 54 (Fig. 4) which are rigidly boltedtothe outsides of. the upright plates 23 of the frame 2! which theyoverlap. Welded to the bottoms of the plates 54, 5a is a bottom plate'55 which cooperates with longitudinally spaced upright plates 56, 55(see Fig. 5) and extremely widely spaced apart uprightplates 5?, 5'!(Fig. 4) to form a pair of gear housings 58, 58. Extending over andrigidly attached to the plates 54, '56 and 5? are horizontal plates '59,59' which form a supporting bottom for the material which is gathered bythe gathering head 32, as hereinafter described in complete detail. Theplate 59 is suitably apertured above the gear housings 58 to provide forremovable cover plates 58, 60 for said gear housings 58, 58. Side accessto each gear housing 58 is provided by aremovable cover plate 6!. Eachof the upright plates E i-is provided with a removable journal box 62,the outer end of which is provided with a grease retaining felt washerE3, said journal boxes 62, B2 supporting a transversely extending shaftfi l for free rotation, said shaft carrying a sprocket having a wide hubwhich is keyed to said shaft 64, the teeth of said sprocket 65 meshingwith the cOnveyor chain 34 and being driven thereby, as above described.

It may be pointed out that the sprocket 65 acts as a head sprocket forsaid conveyor chain 34.

Mounted upon the plate 59 and adjacent opposite lateral edges thereof isa pair of gathering conveyors E6 and 61 which are similar inconstruction, except that one is a right hand and the other a left handconveyor. Only one will be described in detail and it is to beunderstood, except for the reversal of parts, they are similar unlessotherwise so indicated.

As seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings, a bevel gear 68 is keyed to the righthand end of shaft 64 and meshes with a bevel gear 69 which is keyed toan upright shaft 10, the bottom of which is mounted in a ball bearing Hcarried by the bottom plate 55.

Also keyed to the shaft 79 adjacent its top is a sprocket 12 having anenlarged hub which is appropriately journaled in the cover plate 66 anda ring 13 which is formed as a part of said cover plate 69. A removableretaining plate M is bolted to the upper end of shaft and retains thesprocket 12 in place. The sprocket 12 is cupshaped and is provided witha removable protection and access plate 15 which provides access to theplate 14. The sprocket 12 drives an endless chain 16 which extends alonga guideway formed by a pair of plates 11 and 18 to which are attachedtop and bottom cam plates I9 and 86, respectively. The plates l1, 18, 19and 86 are slidable as a unit longitudinally with respect to the plates59, 59 to provide for adjustment of the tension of the chains 76 andthey are attached to said plates 59, 59 by elongated bolts 8| adapted toslide in elongated grooves in the plate 59, one of which is clearlyillustrated at 82 in Fig. 5 of the drawings. As clearly illustrated inFig. 5 of the drawings, a portion of the plate 59 is reinforced by aplate 83 which is riveted thereto and which forms a stationary portionof the chain guide and carries an abutment block 84 with which the headof an adjusting bolt 85 cooperates, said bolt 85 having an adjusting nut86 by which the tension of the chain 16 is adjusted. Access to the nut86 is provided by removing cover plate 8'! which carries a holding lug88 which prevents turning of the nut 86 when the plate 81 is in place.

At spaced intervals along the chain 16 the inner links are formed ofgenerally triangular plates 89 which have pivot points at their apicesto which are pivotally attached gathering flights 99 by means of pairsof pivot arms 96 which straddle plates 89, said flights preferablyhaving serrated top edges and pointed noses.

The detailed structure of these flights is seen by reference to Figs. 6and 7 of the drawings.

The flights 99 are also provided with top and bottom arms 92, 92 whichcooperate with the aforementioned top and bottom cam plates 79 and 80 soas to guide the flights along the paths of movement generally indicatedin Fig. 3 of the drawings, each of the former of which arms 92 carries abit or pick 9!.

It is to be noted by reference particularly to Fig. 4 of the drawingsthat the plate 59 over which the material is conveyed by the twogathering conveyors 66 and 61, extends above the bottom plate 24 of theconveyor trough and above the upper run of the chain 34 and flights 35.Consequently, as the material is gathered by the gathering conveyors 66and 61. which is effected by forcing the lower end of the plate 59 underloose or semi-compact coal. the coal will be conveyed along the plates59. 59 and discharged over the rear edge thereof onto the bottom plate24 of the conveyor trough along which it will be conveyed by the chain34 and flights 35.

It is to be noted that the flights 99, while in operation, extend beyondthe edges of the plate .59, both along the side thereof and adjacent the.front thereof, and the middle front portion of the plate 59 is made inthe form of a V-shaped scoop 93 which insures efiicient contacting ofthe flights with the coal.

To provide the aforementioned support for the front end of the mainframe 26 a shoe 94 is provided adjacent the forward edge of the plate 59which is adapted to ride on the mine bottom and make the third point ofsupport for said main frame 20.

Adjacent its rear end the plate 59 is provided with upstanding guideplates 95 which generally surround the sprockets 72 and prevent anyspillage of material under the influence of the flights 90 when movingaround said sprockets 12. From the above description it is manifest thatthe conveyor chain 34 and the two gathering conveyors 66 and 6'! alwaysoperate together since they are directly mechanically connected.

In the operation of the machine it may be moved by controlling thewheels which, as disclosed in the above-mentioned application of EdwinB. Gellatly, are independently operable from independent motors tomaneuver the head end to a pile of coal, either in a loose orsemicompact state, whereupon said head 32 is fed into said pile of coalwith all of the conveyors operating.

The gathering conveyors 65 and 61 are operative'through their flights 90to scoop up material and carry it over the plates 59, 59' discharging itat the rear end of said plate 59' onto the bottom 24 of the trough onmain frame 20 across which it is scraped by chain 34 and flights 35 andultimately discharged at the rear end thereof.

The movement of any flight 99 throughout a complete cycle of operationis to be noted for it contributes largely to the higher efficiency ofthe two gathering conveyors 66 and 61. Assuming, for example byreference to Fig. 3 of the drawings, that the flight is moving forwardlyalong the outside of plate 59 so that the arms 92 have just come incontact with the cam plates 19 and 89, said cam plate-s l9 and 89 are soformed that the point or nose of the flight is appreciably ahead of a,plane at right angles to the direction of the travel of the flight. Inother words, as the flight approaches the material to be gathered, it isangled into the pile of material thereby reducing appreciably the amountof power which would otherwise be required to force the flight into thematerial. As the flight moves across the outer end of the plate 59, itsweeps the material around, at the same time moving backwardly to aplane which is substantially at right angles to a tangent to the path ofmovement thereof which is in the arc of a circle at this point. Thisgeneral position of the flight is maintained during the forepart of thereturn run during which the material is scraped over the plate 59.

That is to say, the top and bottom arms 92, 92 projecting rearwardlyfrom the flights 90, engage the cam surfaces as the flights push thematerial along. These cam surfaces are on the edges of the plates 19,and are shown in plan in Fig. 3 at 97, 98, 99, I00, IUI and I02. Whenthe flight is in its position illustrated at a in Fig. 3, it is about toleave the guard plate and at this time the arm 92 clears the plate I03and when the outer end of the flight 90 leaves the plate 95, the flightis free to assume the position illustrated at b in Fig. 3. As the flightmoves along, the arm 92 engages the rear end of the cam 9'! whicheffects movement of the flight to the position illustrated at c in Fig.

earner? :3. Whenthe arm iflzisiin fullengagement with the :cam surface19.1, the :flight;assumes .aipositlon shown iatrd .Fig. 3.. zNoWcas theflight moves along, the :arm .92 gradually reaches the arcuate 'cam'surface"98"wher ethe inner e'dgeof the arm time the arm -92 reaches thestraight cam .:sur-- face 99 there is no longer existing the lforwardpenetrating component of the :gathering .move

the cam surface 99 in :the position .shown at f .injEig. 3, the :coal ismoved laterally-toward the :center :of the ,gathering :head :plate 59.

It should be understood. that the gathering .head or mechanism '32 isparticularly adapted to "make "a frontal "attack on "coal which stillremains standing in a semi-compact mass after being shattered by ablasting charge. At the base :of .suchsemi-compactumass the lfiightstend to form a 'Vshaped kerf with its upper wall irregular .in formationby :reason of the serrations, which facilitates the dislodging action ofthe picking tool .91 mounted rigidly on the upper arm 92 rearwardly ofthe flight 90, as shown in Fig. 7, but projecting upwardly therefrom :asshown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 3, each and every one of the flights99 of both of the :endless gathering conveyors '66, i6 is :provided witha rigidly mounted picking tool 9'! As shown in "Fig. 3, the straight camsurfaces 99, 99 converge slightly toward the center of the .plate 5%?and merge with 'thescircular 'cam surfaces H30, H38. Therefore when thearms 92 move along the circular cam surfaces l llll, the flights '95move approximately along the upper edges of the converging faces of theV-shaped scoop 93.

angles to the forward coal engaging face of the fl ht.

The cam surfaces fill, I91 are in diverging relation as shown in Fig. 3andwhile the arms 92 engage these straight cam surfaces till, theflights assume the positions illustrated :at h and i, the flights of thetwo conveyors 6 6, being in staggered relation as shown "in Fig. 3. Thisstaggered relation is preferred so that as "the flights 9% move on tothe plate 59 from the mine bottom, large lumps of coal will not becrowded and jammed between the. flights 90 of one conveyor 56 and theflights .90 of the other nonveyor 61 at the V-shaped scoop 93. However,it is desirable to have the flights move in opposite orbital directionsso that as they sweep across the face of the semi-compact mass therewill be a balancing effect on the framework of the loading machine,thereby preventing pivoting of the latter at the axle of the wheels 45.

The straight cam surfaces I02, H]! are more diverging than the camsurfaces lill, l0l, so that as the arms 92 reach the cam surfaces I02the flights will begin to swing backwardly as illustrated by thepositions 9' and 7c in Fig. 3. There is still considerable conveyingaction in the position 7, but in the position 10 the flight is inreadiness to slide out of the coal on the plates 59 and 59'. That is tosay, when the arm 92 runs off the straight cam surface I02, the flightWhen the position 9 is reached, the I flight 9i! is moving ina-direction almost at right :mento'f the flight 99. As the arm '92 rides:along is-released to swing absolutely free under the influence of thecoal .being oonveyed. The flight will not, under these conditions, moveentirely parallel with the path of the chain because coal to the rear ofthe. released flight will still be conveyed by a trailing flight.However; when the flight is released from the cam I02 it issubstantially free to flow or move over the plate 59' like any 'lump ofcoal, and therefore when the flight is thus released it has no influenceupon the conveying of the coal over the plate 59' and this takes placebefore the point of pivotal connection-of the flight starts to move in acurved path along the arc of a circle around a drive sprocket 12. Thefloating position of the flight is illustrated in the position I in Fig.3,

and the positions of the flight within the guards B5 are illustrated atm, n and a.

As the flight rounds the sprocket 12 it is still a floating condition.This floating action from the time it starts until the flight is on theother side of the sprocket precludes the throwing of any of the coaloutwardly as the flight rounds the sprocket. In other words, the releaseof the'flight when it reaches the plate 59 permits the flight to slideout from the coal while the latter continues to be conveyed alongstraight lines on the plate 59 to the main conveyor. It will thus beseen that the release of the flight to enabl it to be withdrawnlengthwise from the conveyed coal, reduces to a minimum transfer of coalby the flights along the plate adjacent the guards 95. The tendency ofthe flights as they leave the plate 5a in their upward paths of travelis to move the coal laterally from the plate 59 onto the plate 59adjacent the guards 95, but this tendency is overcome by an automaticrelease of the flights as illustrated in Fig. 3. The upward extensions95', 95 converge as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to merge into the side wallsof the main conveyor trough. These angular extensions '95, "95'co-operate with the flights when in their 'floating condition tomaintain the conveyed coal in the path of movement of the flights '35 ofthe main conveyor, thereby preventing the transfer of coal along thearcuate guards 95.

The rearward extension 59' of the plate 59 overlaps the forward lowerend of the main-conveyor. This can readily be seen by referring to Fig.-'5 and comparing the same with Figs. 1, 2, 3

and 4. It is important to note'that the plate 59 is spaced above thebottom plate 24 only a sufficient distance to permit free movements ofthe 5 flights '35 as they emerge from under the plate 59'. Duringloading operations the drop of the coal from theplate 59 to the bottomplate 24 is therefore reduced toaminimum. It willthus be :seen that theloading of the coal from the mine floor to the conveyor iflights 35 iseffected with a minimum of degradation of the coal. It will thus be seenalso that by providing .for release of the flights 9 to :permit them toslide out from the coal being conveyed over the plate 59'. the spacingbetween the rear delivery edge of the :plate 59' and the bottom plat fz'i need not be sufficient to permit the lumps to drop out from under theflights 99. In other words, the flights 913 pull themselves out from theconveyed coal so that the rear edge of the plate 59 need be no fartherfrom the bottom plate 24 than is necessary for the passage of theflights 35 under the plate 59' to enable the chain 34 to engage thesprocket on the transverse shaft 54 of Fig. 5, such sprocket being shownat 65 in Fig. 4.

The type of main conveyor illustrated is part'icularly adapted to a lowroof loading machine because a hopper is eliminated byusing a singleendless chain with the links on pivots rectangularly related to permitlateral swinging of the discharge section of the main conveyor tovarious positions. The main framework is a single unit mounted on asingle pair of wheels for tilting on the axis of the wheels. The unitincluding the swinging discharge section 22 is balanced so as to havethe center of gravity in advance of the axis of the wheels. A relativelylarge motor is connected to the main conveyor to drive the same, and asshown'in Figs. 4 and 5 such' drive is extended to the two endlessgathering conveyors 5'5, El. Two relatively small motors, one connectedto each of the wheels 415, are relied on to move the gathering headforwardly for frontal attack on the coal to be loaded, or laterally forlateral attacks thereon.

Although the loading machine embodying my improvements may have ageneral application, it is particularly adapted for the loading of coalfrom semi-compact masses at the coal face, which after being shot stillremain standing but in shattered condition. The general combinations offeatures particularly adapted for low roof mines and the features as tothe provision of a pair of separately power driven supporting wheels formaneuvering the machine during loading operations, are described andclaimed in the aforesaid application of Edwin E. Gellatly, Serial No.306,083, filed Nov. 25, 1939, for an improvement in a Loader. Byrotating the ground engaging wheels in opposite directions the machinemay be swung about in its own length and by operating a both wheels inthe same direction the whole machine may be reciprocated for gatheringoperations.

Reverting to the fit of the arms 92 with the arcuate cams 98 it shouldbe noted that each flight 90 and pick 9| is a single rigid structurehaving two spaced arms 92, 92 in position to engage the cams 93 on thespaced plates 19 and 80 shown in Fig. 5. Asstated above, the flightshave a forward penetrating component and a lateral conveying componentwhen the arms 92 move along the cam surfaces 82. Consequently when theflights have maximum duties to perform the inner curved surfaces of thearms 92 contact over the maximum areas with the cam surfaces 98 toeffect maximum or most efiicient resistance to back thrust duringoperations of the gathering flights.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in thedetails and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and Itherefore Wish not to be restricted to the precise construction hereindisclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what Idesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Gathering mechanism for a loading machine comprising the combinationwith a conveyor chain, of mechanism for guiding the same, a conveyorflight pivoted to said chain, a cam having a'curved abutment surfaceadjacent a predetermined portion of the path of travel of said chain,and an arm on said flight having an extended curved side bearing surfacein position to fit said curved abutment surface to confine said flightto penetrating and conveying paths when said chain is moved along suchpredetermined path.

2. A loading machine comprising the combination with a receiving plate,of an endless chain conveyor mounted thereon and having conveyor flightspivoted to the chain for free swinging movement of about ninety degreesrelatively thereto on upright axes when the chain is about to changedirection adjacent the upper discharge end of said plate, trailing armson said flights, a cam in position to be engaged by said arms to holdthe flights each with its leading face at an acute angle with respect tothe direction of travel .of the flight as the flight moves forwardpointed into the material to be gathered, another cam engaged by saidarms to hold the flights at right angles to the path of travel as suchflights convey material over said plate toward the said discharge end ofsaid plate, and means for driving said endless chain conveyor comprisinga sprocket meshing with the chain adjacent said discharge end rearwardlyof the rear end of said second-named cam so that as each flight reachessaid sprocket it is freed for a ninety degree piv.. otal movement forlateral withdrawal from the said plate without conveying actionlaterally of said plate.

3. Gathering mechanism for a loading machine comprising the combinationwith an endless conveyor chain, of means for guiding the same along anorbital path, a plurality of spaced conveyor flights each pivoted tosaid chain, a cam having a curved abutment surface adjacent thepenetrating and conveying paths of travel of the flights, and aplurality of arms one trailing from each flight and each having a curvedsurface in position to wipe along said curved abutment surface toconfine the flight to such penetrating and conveying paths when thechain is traveling adjacent said cam.

4. Gathering mechanism for a loading machine comprising the combinationwith a gathering head comprising an inclined scooping and receivingplate, of a pair of spaced-apart endless conveyor chains mounted on suchplate, means for guiding such conveyor chains to travel in orbitalpaths, a plurality of spaced flights pivotally connected to said chains,means for driving said chains in opposite directions to move the

